Digital Stories Featuring Adoptive Parents

This Digital Storytelling project was a collaborative project between Voice for Adoption and A Service of the Children's Bureau

Digital storytelling is the practice of using computer-based tools to tell stories. Over a period of three days in April 2012, the National Resource Center for Permanency & Family Connections (NRCPFC), Voice for Adoption (VFA), and the Oregon Post-Adoption Resource Center (ORPARC) collaborated to create 10 digital stories. This collection represents the voices of foster and adoptive parents, as well as the perspectives of post‐adoption workers. Through these stories, we are better able to understand the joys and struggles of adoptive families. We learn the importance of well‐being, and the services and supports necessary to sustain families. Click here to view these stories.

Kendra's story is like a letter to her children. She shares a heart-warming message describing how their family was so specially formed both through birth and adoption. Kendra also describes the uniqueness of their ongoing and supportive relationship with the biological parents of their adopted children.

Laura’s story shares her journey to becoming a foster parent and eventually an adoptive mother to siblings; she highlights the types of challenges that her family faced and how resources helped them to deal with the issues as a family.

Cliff and his partner, Scott, adopted their children, who are now in high school, 12 years ago. Cliff discusses factors and experiences that influenced his decision to adopt, particularly being gay and adopted himself, as well as resources and supports that have been important to their family.

Joan’s story highlights her adopted grandson, Chad. In her digital story she describes their journey to achieving well being, and the resources that were important to them along the way.